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Ex-Gator Chris Martin to play at City College this fall, undecided for 2013

It’s been an unusual ride for former high school football star Chris Martin, and the latest stop is at City College of San Francisco, a two-year school.
Rivals.com rated Martin the No. 18 prospect in America as a high school senior. He was committed to Notre Dame before switching to California. He transferred to Florida before ever playing at Cal. He never took the field for the Gators and transferred to Navarre College. Last year, he moved to City College and intends to stay there for a year before attempting a return to Division I.

Despite all his hopping, he would still have two seasons of eligibility at whatever school takes him in 2013.

“That’s not bad,” he said. “I’m actually pretty lucky. I feel like I’ve been to eight colleges already and I’d still have two years left.”

Martin left Florida in June 2011, shortly after a misdemeanor arrest for possession of marijuana.

He remains adamant that he was not a regular marijuana user and said it was an isolated incident. He is frequently asked about it by college coaches interested in landing him as a transfer.

“I don’t have a drug problem,” he said. “I’ve been asked that multiple times. It was something I addressed at the time. Everyone says they have the inside story on that and on why I left Gainesville, but they don’t. It probably will never come out and it doesn’t need to. I’m all about progressing forward.

“Anyone would tell you that when I was in Gainesville, I gave it my all on the field and in the classroom. That arrest was just one thing.”

As for his future plans, Martin declined to talk about anything beyond the upcoming season.

He has said in the past he wants to stay west in order be near his family. He is from Aurora, Colo., and his mother has been ill recently.

Ultimately, it is hard to say if his geographical preference will dictate his college decision. Three schools rumored to be pursuing him are Kansas, Alabama and Florida State, though Martin refused to comment on any of them.

Kansas is a logical destination for Martin. Jayhawks coach Charlie Weis was the head coach at Notre Dame when Martin committed there as a high school junior. He also just signed City College quarterback Turner Baty.

Weis also hired Scott Holsopple from Florida as his strength and conditioning coordinator, and Holsopple had a strong relationship with Martin when the two were in Gainesville.

“Nothing has been decided,” Martin said. “I’m doing really well out here. I’ve just got to play one season out here and when I resurface, I’ll have everything in order. I have no reason to rush it.